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Federal cabinet’s National Security Committee (NSC) is reportedly due to meet today (November 24) to consider second pass approval and commit to or delay a decision on the acquisition of the F-35 JSF for the RAAF.
Most observers believe a delayed decision is most likely due to federal budget pressures, as well as delays to and a review of the aircraft’s development program in the US.
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Indeed, one former senior Defence official told Australian Aviation that, “there’s just no money for anything at the moment…the DCP (Defence Capability Plan) is under-funded in forward estimates and spending on this scale will need to be pushed to the right.” Under the $15 billion Project Air 6000, the RAAF has a requirement for up to 100 F-35s to replace 71 F/A-18A/B fighters and the 24 interim F/A-18F strike fighters from 2017.
Boeing has reportedly offered an alternative scenario of additional Super Hornets to the RAAF, claiming the Commonwealth would save up to $3 billion by operating a 50/50 fleet of Super Hornets and F-35s, as well as reducing risk to the ‘classic’ Hornet fleet which will be suffering fleet-wide fatigue issues well before the F-35 enters service.
Lockheed Martin executive vice president and JSF program general manager Tom Burbage was in Canberra last week to further brief Defence officials on the program.
